Train Wreck: The Life and Death of Anna Nicole Smith

This is the definitive story of the rise and tragic fall of a woman who became one of the world's most recognized celebrities, thanks to her voluptuous beauty - and her devotion to sex, drugs, money, and fame. Donna Hogan, Anna Nicole Smith's sister and a confidante to her and other family members, provides an intimate and mesmerizing account of how Anna escaped poverty, anonymity, and an abusive family as she rocketed to fame.

They Use to Exist

It was the summer of 1963 and three friends Mark, Dan and Steve who loved to sail the deepest oceans shared the same dream, they all wanted to find the lost ship called the SS Triton that was said to have disappeared somewhere in the Bermuda Triangle in 1933 carrying over twenty million dollars in gold coins. After weeks of preparation with media attention the three friends were ready to set sail and have their pictures put on the front covers of all the major newspapers when they came back with the sunken treasure.

Listen to “They Used To Exist” for a quick shot of suspense. I really enjoyed how atmospheric the production was - Dan Absalonson added just the right combinations of tone and special effects to make the listener feel like they’re experiencing an episode of “The Twilight Zone”.

The Christmas Cave

Thirteen-year-old Jack and his 12-year-old sister Amanda visit their Grandma Jenny in the mountains over the Christmas holiday. They hear the story of a mythical cavern that Grandma went searching for 50 years earlier with her little brother Bill and their best friend Mike. Her brother was lost, never to be seen again. Drawn to the mystery, Jack and Amanda meet up with Daniel Madsen, a local boy diagnosed with Leukemia and only months to live.

Author David R. Bashears has written a novella that has a broad appeal not only for pre/tween/teens, but adults as well. The audio production, narrated by Dan Absalonson, sets the stage for an absorbing listening experience. His vocal performance is the perfect touch to this unique tale about siblings Jack and Amanda, as they are drawn into an daunting adventure fifty years in the making.

I appreciated genuinely not knowing where the plot would lead to next, and enjoyed the warm and compelling narration style Narrator Dan Absalonson provided throughout the production.

I highly recommend this audiobook to people searching for a unique tale in celebration of the power of family, friendships and the holiday spirit.

Blood Will Tell

When we think evolution, we think of the life forms we can see. But what if evolution should occur on the microscopic level? What if red blood cells achieved intelligence? Would they be happy at the world in which they find themselves? And if they didn't, what might they do? In this story intelligent blood is starting an offensive against Man. One lone telepath finds himself a helpless spectator as the race of Man is subjugated into mindless drones.

Ghost Mansion

>Deep in the country stood a beautiful mansion said to be the most haunted place you'd ever step foot in. But does this place really exist or is it just a legend? Here is where the story begins. It all happened one stormy night on October 31, 1929....

Another great collaboration between author Drac Von Stoller and narrator Dan Absalonson! All the elements - a good old-fashioned scary story, the skillful and nuanced vocal of the narration combined with the well-timed sound effects - combine for an audio thrill-ride!

Grave Robbers

It was 1862 and the town of Sickville had many Gold Mines that thrived in an overabundance of wealth until greed took over and friends and neighbors became enemies. There was always someone standing guard by their mines, but there were too many people not in on the cut. So, that's when things got ugly and people that used to be friends started dying just to get their hands on the gold.

M. Orenstein says:"Average story brought to life by talented narrator"

"Grave Robbers" reminded me of old time radio theater for the modern age - sharp and absorbing from beginning to end. I love the seamless weaving of Drac Von Stoller's gritty, haunting prose coupled with Dan Absalonson's spot-on narration. The dark/moody music and accompanying sound effects add the perfect chilling touch to this top-notch production. This is a must have for all horror/suspense fans!

Beautiful Bastard

Whip-smart, hardworking, and on her way to an MBA, Chloe Mills has only one problem: her boss, Bennett Ryan. He’s exacting, blunt, inconsiderate - and completely irresistible. A beautiful bastard. Bennett has returned to Chicago from France to take a vital role in his family’s massive media business. He never expected that the assistant who’d been helping him from abroad was the gorgeous, innocently provocative - completely infuriating - creature he now has to see every day. Despite the rumors, he’s never been one for a workplace hookup. But Chloe’s so tempting he’s willing to bend the rules....

Engaging read, but I couldn't understand why the male lead was so contemptuous of the female protagonist. I could definitely understand from her point of view the frustration of dealing with a jerk of a boss, but the level of contempt Bennett seemed to have for her was alienating and unjustified.

The Butcher, the Baker, the Candlestick Maker: An Erotic Memoir

After a love affair with a man 3,000 miles away, whom she met online, Suzanne Portnoy, mother of two and a top executive in the entertainment industry, begins her sexual reawakening. Insatiable, she dives into the swinging scene and works her way through an entire spectrum of sexual experience, including exhibitionism, group sex, and fetish clubs. The Butcher, The Baker, The Candlestick Maker is a story that is shocking and heart-warming in equal measure.

This was unintentionally funny, because the narrator was simply out of her depth in reading an explicit memoir like this. Picture that recorded voice that welcomes you to the mall when you're given your ticket. Picture the recorded voice in the airport that tells you which zones are for loading and unloading. Now imagine that voice reading a dirty memoir. I don't know about you, but I laughed my ass off for the first ten minutes until i realized two things: the entire memoir will sound like this, and the sinking knowledge that I had wasted yet another precious credit...DAMN!!

Making Rumours: The Inside Story of the Classic Fleetwood Mac Album

Fleetwood Mac's classic 1977 Rumours album topped the Billboard 200 for 31 weeks and won the Album of the Year Grammy. More recently, Rolling Stone named it the 25th greatest album of all time and the hit TV series Glee devoted an entire episode to songs from Rumours, introducing it to a new generation. Now, for the first time, Ken Caillat, the album's co-producer, tells the full story of what really went into making Rumours.

If you're interested in learning about recording and tech issues from 70s era sound and recording equipment, then this is for you. If not (like me) you'll wish that you skipped this altogether. Yes, Caillat served as co-producer and trusted tech employee on the Rumours album as well as helping out on tech issues during the Rumours tour, but folks...this bears repeating: other than the aforementioned, you won't be learning anything new about Fleetwood Mac that you haven't already seen covered on an episode of VH1's "Behind the Music." I'm not kidding. This was a borefest of the highest degree. And, oh yes- did you know he's the father of singer Colby Caillat? That's good, because if you don't, you'll be reminded (in addition to a completely useless detailed description of how he handled a recording issue on his daughter's (Colby Caillat!) album. I wish someone would please kick me in the forehead with a pen for buying this damn thing.

Would you like to know what Caillat's days were like? (I woke up. I showered. Scooter went through the doggie door to go to the bathroom. Scooter came back in from the doggie door after he went to the bathroom, etc.) Holy crap- it's a monotonous nightmare. If this book was solely about his adventures with his dog Scooter, the best little buddy and tension breaker that made him happy during the recording sessions, that's one thing (I adore dogs)...but that's not how this was marketed. ("I ordered a drink. The waiter arrived. He poured the wine into my glass. I raised my glass. I made a toast." With hours upon hours worth of moment by moment description of every single thing he did every single day he worked on the album and subsequent tour, how in the hell did he have time to effectively do anything? He's too busy writing down every single boring everyday tasks he did, thought, etc. Frankly, if the book was about Scooter, the best pal Caillat ever had, it would have been far more interesting on the road with him and Scooter's adorable personality in the recording studio. That dog was interesting. Caillat wasn't. In spades.

Other than two major confrontations that take place during the Rumours recording sessions,I learned nothing. Just a lot of "the band seemed tense/the band knew exactly how much was at stake in making this album"...really? Ya don't say! Honestly, I felt that Caillat's reflections had about as much importance as a pimple on the ass of the universe.

By the way, is it just me, or does the narrator (although giving his best) sound like a voiceover actor for children's products/that happy voice at the end of the latest medicine commercial that happily warns you that one of the side effects is death? They should have had that warning at the beginning of this audiobook.

Johnson v. Johnson

When J. Seward Johnson, the pharmaceutical heir, died in 1983 at the age of 87, his six children (each of whom was already in possession of an immense fortune) were outraged to learn that he had willed his entire $500-million estate to their stepmother Basia - a woman 42 years Seward’s junior, a Polish refugee who had once worked as a chambermaid in his household. They came to believe that Basia had used undue influence to "enchant" their father, prying his fortune away from him and turning him.

Would you consider the audio edition of Johnson v. Johnson to be better than the print version?

I really enjoy the voice of narrator Victor Bevine - he created distinct and very different voices for each one of the characters. I appreciated it.

Which scene was your favorite?

Too many. The Johnson family history is packed with painfully sick individuals that took extreme joy in punishing/annihilating their family members. The ripple effect still affects the family to this day.

My Romantic Love Wars: A Sexual Memoir

Betty Dodson's memoir is the story of one woman's struggle to liberate female sexuality while enjoying her own. In the 70s, as the feminist movement evolved, Betty latched on to sexual liberation as a symbol for self empowerment. Realizing that so many women weren't enjoying sex, she asked, "How could women ever be truly equal if they were reliant on men for their sexual satisfaction?" She quickly became the leader of the sex-positive feminist movement.

What made the experience of listening to My Romantic Love Wars: A Sexual Memoir the most enjoyable?

It gave me the opportunity to listen to Dodson's life without any sugar-coating. I have always respected the work she continues to do - breaking old myths about women and men's sexuality. I just had no idea about the hell she went through in the search just to be herself and question the old principles of sexual morality. To me, she comes across very much like a sex-ed astronaut from the future, plopped smack dab onto Earth with the sole mission of changing our attitudes about the double standards that women are confined to - even to this day! I think that the title was misleading because Dodson learned very early that she preferred not to become entangled in exclusive dating. She made a choice to remain steadfastly single, yet build a network of friends that understood and respected her life choice. It fueled her life, research, writing and art powerful because she experienced it all...with no regrets. Please note however that there are three incidents in the book that were triggering, so be forewarned.

What did you like best about this story?

What I liked best about this memoir was learning about her life-long struggle to teach herself (and others) not to be afraid of their own bodies, nor should there be any fear in speaking frankly with your partner to work together for greater intimacy. Also, there is nothing wrong with choosing not to marry/have kids, etc. for a life of free personal exploration and solitude.

Have you listened to any of Barbara Rosenblat’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes, I have. I'll be honest - at first, when I heard her voice, I distinctly thought that it was being narrated by one of Marge Simpson's sisters with a gravelly deep voice. Actually, I wound up appreciating it because Rosenblat's voice really does sound like Betty Dodson's voice! It was a very bold choice to have this narrated by an older woman with a powerful, booming voice instead of an annoying breathless ingenue. She captured the cadence and style of Dodson's voice spot-on. Lastly (but most importantly) the audiobook is narrated as if Dodson is right in front of you, sharing her life story with joy, humor and determination.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I had an extreme reaction toward the end that I never, ever expected to do- the relationship that Dodson had with her mother when she became an adult. It was precious and moving (I'm getting chills just remembering that section.) That relationship was such a source of support, laughter and mutual respect that I will never be able to listen to that passage without crying. It was incredibly moving. You'll be moved, too. Please read the emotional trigger alert below for more. This book is very polarizing and not for the faint of heart.

Any additional comments?

EMOTIONAL TRIGGER ALERT: Please be aware that the book delves briefly into childhood molestation, sibling incest and bestilality. Although Betty has a completely different opinion on how she chose to deal with her childhood, there's no doubt that it will certainly open up a contentious debate. The bestiality incident she witnessed - no matter how many protestations to the contrary that the animal was never hurt/raped, just "spoiled" and "loving" left me infuriated and disgusted. No matter how brief the aforementioned incidents were, it doesn't take away the anger I had about these incidents.

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